i'm voting for obama tomorrow. here's why.

I'm going to try and keep this as positive as I can, because that is something I admire about the bulk of Obama's campaign. But in all honesty, Republicans frustrate me so a little anger and bitterness about the last 8 years is bound to come through.

I was raised in a very Democratic family. My parents are both folk-music Arlo-Guthrie types, too old to be hippies, but fall mostly in line with those beliefs. There was no love for Reagan in our house when I was a child, and certainly no love for Bush now. My extended family is the same, as are the vast majority of my friends and coworkers. In this way, I consider myself lucky. Every four years when the racists and sexists and bible-thumpers come out of the woodwork, I find myself more than a little surprised, because I simply am not exposed to that in my daily life.

I imagine there are reasons people vote Republican, and to those people I'm sure their reasons are valid. But even at my most open-minded, I can't think of one good reason for ME to do so. I'm not afraid of much - minorities, gay people, gangs, terrorists. I'm not interested in keeping all of my money to myself. I believe in being somewhat fiscally conservative, but if you believe that's what the current Republican administration is about, you haven't been paying attention. My idea of fiscal conservatism is not spending $1 trillion on a needless war and legislative nightmares like No Child Left Behind. And I don't have a family tradition of voting Republican (hardly even being able to tolerate them) so that reason is also a non-issue for me. Frankly, the last 8 years have frightened me deeply. I don't trust the Republican administration after this insane war in Iraq, the failing economy, terrible legislation (like No Child, the Patriot Act, etc.) the fear-mongering and other tactics (voter fraud, a double standard of sexism, pandering, etc.)

But as McCain has said, he's not George W Bush. So I go into this election tomorrow with terrible feelings from the last 8 years, but plenty of fresh bad feelings from the last 6 months. I simply don't like McCain. I don't think he is a good person. I can't say the same for Bush - I certainly don't like George W Bush, but the reasons why I don't like him are starkly different. I think he is anti-intellectual, Jesus-freaky, a spoiled rich brat, and has misguided opinions and ideas. McCain on the other hand, is just not nice. He's rude, overly ambitious, with offensive opinions and ideas. He has a bad temper, is a bad husband, a bad pilot, and flip-flops on things that are of great importance (like torture). I believe he just wants to be president, and doesn't care how he does it. His ambition frightens me, because it seems calculated and cruel. His debate performances were extremely poor. He came off as anxious, rambling and evasive. He was unprofessional and downright rude to Obama (refusing to look at him or say his name, not even shaking his hand after the 2nd debate, calling him "that one"). His policies are in direct conflict with my own beliefs - my parents are on Medicare and he wants to cut $800 billion in funding to it to fund his "health care plan" that will be taxed as income. "Women's health" is something he feels he can be sarcastic about. He's out for the rich, he's old, and his stands on the war, taxes, health care, and virtually every other issue are the opposite of my own.

Then there's his VP pick. I don't think I have to say much about that, it's all been said. But I think picking her was a low and offensive tactic. He was trying to pander to women (because apparently women aren't smart enough to see through to actual issues, and only vote based on genitals). She has extremely negative energy, is not prepared to be president (or have any high-level job in federal government), is anti-science, and I simply cannot abide her.

So I'm voting for Obama. I've always liked him, and I voted for him in the primary. First of all, he's smart. I still don't understand why so many people are turned off by someone who is smart. What's with the anti-intellectualism, America? I don't think our "founding fathers" who the Republicans allude to so often (men who were highly educated in multiple disciplines, were farmers and scientists and writers and scholars, and were well-read and well-traveled) would like it very much. Why would someone think it's good to have a person in charge who isn't smart?

Obama was against the war in Iraq from the beginning. His stand on important issues is the closest to my own. He is calm, respectful and presidential. He has brought so many people together, and has created a great deal of positive energy at a time when we've desperately needed it. When I hear people say they think he's "radical" what I REALLY hear them saying is "black". Judging someone on their race, or on their name, is absurd. I can't even acknowledge those attacks on him because acknowledging them gives them credence. We're talking about an Ivy League-educated man who grew up in Iowa and has lived in CA, NY and IL. Middle-eastern ties?? As an East-Coaster, I'm more concerned about his Mid-WESTERN ties! (haha)

I respect him deeply for his open-ness and honesty. He has tried to take the high road many times in a very ugly election, and he's not perfect, but he admits that he's not. His 30-minute ad last Wednesday night didn't mention McCain or Palin by name, but instead focused on his own policies and plans. He has been open through this whole process, while maintaining a level of professionalism and not being overly folksy. He comes off as normal, and again, presidential. And the lack of experience attack...? Total crap. Like George W Bush had experience? Reagan? Yes, Obama is young. But he's more in tune with my generation, while still having ties to Americans both younger (2 young daughters) and older (aging grandparents). The perfect proof that he is in touch with people all across the board in terms of age, race, etc. is his positive, smartly-run campaign. He makes people feel good instead of scared. The fear that started to be used as a political tactic after 9/11 has been used to influence people, some of whom don't live in areas that were directly affected. I was in Manhattan on 9/11 and I still think Obama would handle national security issues better, because I don't think the Republicans have appropriately responded to terrorist attacks. As an actual victim, that bothers me.

But the most important thing of all to me is the kinds of people Obama hires to advise and work for him. A president doesn't run the whole government and the whole country alone. They require a great deal of smart, well-informed people to be around them at all times, people they can trust. When I look at Obama's campaign, I feel put at ease. They made good choices. They spent their money wisely (hopefully good news for future budgets). He has focused on grass-roots and national media. There is TV, internet, radio, print, mailers, and staff on the street. He came to neighborhoods where he knew he was going to win (my own) and still gave impassioned and positive speeches. McCain didn't come within 12 miles of my house. Obama went from the longest of long shots to carrying many states the Democrats lost 4 years ago.

McCain's campaign, however, was not well run. They had less money, it's true. But they had to pull out of several states completely. I don't know who his advisors are, but they've not done a very good job. The choice of Palin? His debate performances? His ads that blatantly lie, or edit out the truth? The fact that his campaign strategy has been to shoot 100 bullets in all directions and focus on attacking Obama and Dems, instead of having a solid, understandable plan to build on? And his "talking heads" are laughable.

And to me, this is the crux. Yes, I like Obama and his ideas and stances. But I also like and trust the people he's hired so far. I think they'll do a better job advising him, managing money and bureaucracy, and staffing the various levels of federal government.

It bothers me deeply that somehow being liberal has become equated with "hating America". Or that if you live in a city or on the East Coast, you don't live in "real America". I live in a highly integrated neighborhood full of hard-working people. On my street there are teachers, nurses, cops, librarians, farmers, chefs and firemen. That's not real America? I love the U.S. and I want it to be good again. I want us to be a good neighbor to the rest of the world. I want us to be good to our own citizens again. I want us to spend money the right way and focus on making sure that working citizens have health care and child care and security. I want opportunity and fairness and safety. I want to feel proud of where I live and the people who represent us. And I think Barack Obama is the best person for the job.